Environmental Health Specialist 1 or 2-RS - Solid & Hazardous Waste

Environmental Health Specialst 1 or 2-RS
Solid & Hazardous Waste

Our Role: Do you want to do meaningful work that has a real impact in our community? Please come join our team-oriented, family-friendly organization of over 125 talented public health professionals. We work hard every day to keep Kitsap County safe and healthy. Our job is to protect your health, your family, and the environment by ensuring that waste is collected, stored, processed, and disposed of properly, according to local and state regulations. Everyday waste - including garbage, unusable furniture, construction debris, and broken appliances - must be properly handled. Hazardous items like old paint, solvents, and cleaning products require careful storage and disposal to protect public health. Businesses also generate hazardous waste which, if not managed properly, can impact our community's health.
 
The Position: Within agency policies, under the direction of the Solid and Hazardous Waste (SHW) Program Manager, the incumbents are responsible for performing environmental health services mandated under federal, state, and local regulations governing solid and hazardous waste handling. The specific functions of these positions are to protect public health and the environment from the hazards of improper waste storage, collection, treatment, recycling, and disposal. Failure to perform tasks essential to the positions could result in the impairment of human health or degradation of the environment from surface water, ground water, soil, or air pollution caused by improper solid and hazardous waste handling.

The ideal candidate is dedicated public health professional, who has a passion for public health, enjoys working with others, and brings humility and initiative to their work.

Hours: 40 hours per week – 100% FTE, requires occasional evening and weekend hours.

Status: Permanent full-time position.  

Benefits: The District offers a comprehensive health benefit plan which includes medical, dental, vision, and life coverages, including several voluntary plan selections through The Standard, MetLife, and Aflac. The District provides medical and dental coverage contributing percentages of the average medical and dental insurance premium cost for full time employees as follows: Employee @ 100%, Employee & Spouse @ 90%, Employee & Child(ren) @ 90%, and Full Family @ 85%. Benefits include generous paid time off, and twelve paid holidays per year.   Employees participate in the Public Employees Retirement System (PERS), a defined benefit retirement plan managed by the Washington State Department of Retirement Systems and Social Security. Several deferred compensation retirement savings plans are also offered.

Please note: After a successful in-office trial service period, generally at least three months, a limited hybrid remote work arrangement may be established as mutually beneficial.

Essential Functions

• Responds to complaints pertaining to solid and hazardous waste requirements including business complaints; enforces solid waste handling regulations; prepares reports summarizing results of initial investigation.
• Provides information to the public regarding solid and hazardous waste disposal recycling, reduction and information regarding other chemicals present in the living/working environment.
• Conducts routine, scheduled Environmental Health and Safety Inspections at all K-12 public and private schools in Kitsap County. 
• Assists with the development of solid waste handling regulations, policies and procedures.
• Keeps current on solid and hazardous waste handling issues, technologies, and regulations, as needed for permitting and enforcement activities.
• Conducts education programs on solid and hazardous waste programs and issues.
• Responsible for ensuring compliance of permitted, closed, and/or abandoned landfills in Kitsap County. This may include but not necessarily limited to overseeing closure-post/closure landfill requirements, conducting closed landfill inspections, reviewing and overseeing groundwater monitoring results, and coordinating compliance monitoring activities with Washington State Department of Ecology and landfill owners.
• Reviews land use proposals within 1,000 feet of a landfill to determine whether methane mitigation is required.
• Reviews and approves applications for new landfills.
• Regulates the compliance of other solid waste handling facilities.
• Assists with evaluation of solid and hazardous waste projects as assigned, prepares summary and activity reports and performs related work.
• Develops Small Quantity Generator (SQG) education materials, workshop, and other business outreach projects on pollution prevention, waste minimization, and waste management topics.
• Coordinates with federal, State, and local agencies to provide comprehensive information on hazardous waste issues and projects.
• Coordinates and presents Solid and Hazardous Waste Program information and educational materials at fairs, trade shows, meetings, and other public events.
• Conducts initial investigations and site inspections of confirmed and suspected contaminated sites, performs sampling activities at these sites; enforces solid waste handling regulations; prepares reports summarizing results of initial investigation.
• Responds to chemical spills and coordinates response with CENCOM, the Department of Ecology, and other spill response agencies.
• Participates in and/or provides technical assistance for federal and state hazardous waste and site investigations or remedial action activities.
• Provides information to the public regarding solid and hazardous waste disposal recycling, reduction and information regarding other chemicals present in the living/working environment.
• Conducts Pollution Prevention Assistance (PPA) inspections at Kitsap County businesses in accordance with established guidelines and manages data and reports as required. 
• Provides on-site technical assistance to generators of hazardous and industrial wastes through the PPA Program. 
• Designs and implements outreach programs for PPA which may include newspaper, television, booth events, brochures and web-based information.

See job announcement for all Essential Functions and Physical Demands & Working Conditions.

Education & Experience

Environmental Health Specialist 1

• Bachelor's degree in environmental health or environmental science, or a related field. 

Environmental Health Specialist 2-RS

• Bachelor's degree in environmental health or environmental science, or a bachelor's degree with a minimum of 45 quarter hours (30 semester hours) in physics, chemistry, organic chemistry, geology, microbiology, epidemiology biostatistics, and college level algebra or higher mathematics; and
• Two or more years of experience as an environmental health specialist in a public health agency or in the armed forces.

Licenses, Certificates & Other Requirements

• Environmental Health Specialist 2-RS requires possession of a valid Registered Sanitarian (RS) License from the Washington State Board of Registered Sanitarians or the National Environmental Health Association.
• Performance of job duties requires driving on a regular basis, a valid Washington State driver's license, the use of the incumbent's personal motor vehicle, and proof of appropriate auto insurance.

All required certificates, registrations, or licenses must be maintained in an active status without suspension or revocation throughout employment.

To view the job opportunity and submit the required electronic application, please go to the Careers section of our website at kitsappublichealth.org or visit GovernmentJobs.com,